Luigi's Nightmares
by Shana Hager
Summary: All of his life, the man in green has proved that "cowardly" isn't synonymous with "useless". He's among the most capable of Smashers on the roster, and Master Hand knows this. As the new Ultimate tournament dawns, the Hand of Creation dreams up a challenge exclusively for Luigi. Will it be too much for him, or will he prevail?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The year was 2018. Trump was President. Those who were either kids or teens during the first Super Smash Brothers tournament back in 1999 were now all grown up, and some of them had children of their own. And nearly twenty years after it all began, a brand-new tournament took the Nintendo multiverse by storm, Super Smash Brothers Ultimate!

And the best part? Everyone was here. Everyone from Smash get-togethers past, from those who only showed up in 2001's Melee to those who only showed up in 2008's Brawl. Even those who didn't make the cut for 2014's tournament were welcomed back. Old faces reunited with the "perfect attendance roster"—friends and foes they haven't seen in a long time. Along with these old faces were new faces—those who never thought they'd see the Smash Battlefield in their lifetime. Master Hand had spared no expenses this time around. Everyone was here. Everyone.

The giant glove himself sat at his desk in his spacious office, working on his computer. His twin, Crazy Hand, was absorbed in watching lolcat videos on his laptop. Just a typical day.

That is, until someone knocked on the door.

"Enter," said MH.

A blond-haired Mii named Charlotte—"Charlie" to those around the Smash Mansion—strode into the office, clad in an outfit resembling a certain man in green.

"Hi, guys," she said.

"Hey, Charlie," said MH.

"Hiya, Charlie," said CH, looking up from his lolcat videos.

"Is he ready?" asked MH.

Charlie nodded. "I have him in the Waiting Area. He looks—okay—considering…"

MH held up his pointer finger, stopping her. "I prefer to leave certain events in the past," he said. "Thank you, Charlie."

The Mii nodded and withdrew, the Hand of Creation following her out of his office and down the halls of the Smash Mansion toward the Waiting Area.

When they got there, Charlie rapped on the door. "L? Master Hand is here," she said.

"Okay. Let him in," said a voice.

Charlie stepped aside, and MH pushed open the doors to find a brown-haired young man seated on one of the benches, his back to the Hand of Creation. This man wore a soft pink hat on his head and was clad in a shirt of the same color, a pair of burgundy overalls completing the ensemble. Presently, the shirt was rolled halfway up, and when MH looked closer, he saw why.

A gloved finger methodically traced a scar reaching across his abdomen and upper chest, resembling the graph of a reverse function. It was a mark which blemished his otherwise tanned and muscle-toned body. The man then grumbled something, allowed the shirt to fall over him and then fastened the overalls.

"Hey, L," greeted Master Hand. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Luigi swiveled around and looked at MH with bright, blue eyes. "Don't worry," he said cheerily. "You're not."

MH took a seat beside the plumber. "You—wanna talk about it?" he asked.

"Nah. I'm good," smiled Luigi. "I think this is the better way."

"L—are you sure you want to do this now? Because you can take your time."

"Well," said Luigi, "better here than laying around in my room."

He hopped to his feet, energy circling around him. "I must say—this is very creative," he mused, "creating a Classic Mode route specifically tailored to each fighter. You've really outdone yourself, MH."

"Of course. That's why it's called Super Smash Brothers _Ultimate_ ," MH said smartly. "Now, come along. Your route is about to start."

"Oh, yeah!" Luigi cried. "Let's-a go!"

As he followed MH out of the Waiting Area, Luigi's face hardened, and he pounded a determined fist into his palm. Today was the day that he was gonna face down all of his worst nightmares!

" _Sono pronto_ ," he murmured to himself.

 **Translation: "I'm ready."**

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	2. A Sign of Four

**A Sign of Four**

The moon hovered hugely and ominously over the mansion Luigi called "home". In spite of the way he'd acquired it, he'd gradually grown fond of the place. Ten years ago, at Master Hand's request, Luigi had repurposed the mansion into a battle stage for Brawl, the Hand of Creation going gaga over his brilliant ideas. Ever since then, it had become a popular stage for sparring and casual play, and Luigi even hosted a few parties there. But now, Master Hand had a surprise waiting for him in this mansion. What was it?

A pair of glowing red eyes materializing across from him answered his question. Luigi snapped into a combat stance, his heart doing about fifty, as the red eyes unblinkingly scrutinized him. Three more pairs of unblinking, glowing red eyes came into view, silently watching the man in pink. They were like a quartet of cats hiding in the shadows, watching their prey, studying it, taunting it, waiting to pounce. This prey, however, was a tough customer. He stood straight and tall, fists raised, a little shakily, of course, but he didn't so much as whimper—he didn't give them anything. He fixed them with a steely, piercing stare, his mind flitting through the possible ways he could go into this fight. When faced with multiple opponents, he tended to fight more defensively, using fireballs to keep them from ganging up on him at once, and once one of them was in close enough range, he'd whale on them. Whoever these red-eyed creatures were, Luigi would deal with them in the same fashion.

Master Hand hovered over the combatants, well out of view, watching as Luigi stared his foes down. So far, he was keeping his cool. But then again, this was only the beginning.

"Ready…" he commanded. "GO!"

The lead pair of red eyes gave a signal, and the four opponents darted quietly toward Luigi. It was then that he recognized the quartet.

They were a group of Dark Toon Links.

However, this fact didn't make Luigi hesitate. He was already launching his fireballs at them, discouraging them from making a direct charge. The lead Dark Toon Link signaled again, and his three buddies scattered.

Luigi glanced up as a Dark Toon Link hopped onto a platform above him and pointed his sword downward, ready to stab. Seconds before the blow, Luigi acrobatically flipped backward, kicking his attacker in the face along the way. The lead Dark TL lunged, but Luigi was ready for him, too, aiming a side kick at his midsection. A third Dark TL ran up from behind and got in a slash to the back. Ignoring the pain, the man in pink speared his hand at the little sneak, launching him diagonally. He barely dodged two more slashes from the fourth Dark TL and nimbly leaped toward another platform on the stage, the quartet giving chase. Luigi, however, kept them at bay with a backwards kick.

The lead Dark TL pulled out a bomb and flung it at Luigi, but he leaped aside and jumped onto the roof of his mansion. Two Dark Toon Links waited for him there, and they didn't look happy. With a battle cry, they charged him. In contrast, Luigi moved quickly and quietly, dropping his body low to the hardwood floor and executing his signature breakdance kick, popping the duo high in the air. As they tumbled into the sky, Luigi followed them, continuing his offensive with his Cyclone move. The two were sent in different directions.

He didn't notice the Dark TL below him until it was too late. The opponent thrust his sword upwards, striking Luigi in the abdomen. The plumber reeled in the air, allowing the lead Dark TL to leap in and assail him with a flurry of sword strikes. But Luigi regained his bearings and threw his combo-breaking jump-kick, followed by a quick string of karate chops, finally sending him earthward with a downwards twirling kick.

The other three Dark Toon Links rushed over and helped their leader up.

"Enough of this!" cried the lead Dark TL. "Let's finish him!"

A small smile crossed Luigi's lips as the foursome glared at him. Before they could even react, he crouched down, built up his power, and propelled himself like a rocket right at them!

The result was instantaneous. Two Dark Toon Links were hurtled into the blast zone, leaving the lead Dark TL and his remaining teammate gasping for breath on the ground. But two were easier to deal with than four.

Both Dark Toon Links hopped to their feet, one of them hopping out of sight. Luigi managed to throw two fireballs before the lead Dark TL snagged him with his grappling hook. Smiling mischievously, the lead Dark TL pummeled Luigi several times with the hilt of his sword and then tossed him forward, where the other Dark TL hit him with a Bomb, several overhead slashes, and finally a downward stab before the two of them slammed him to the floor. Then, Luigi kicked both of them off their feet and retreated to the roof. It was time to try out his brand-spanking-new tether grab.

It was about time he'd gotten a tether grab. His grab range had been notoriously poor from Melee until the fourth tournament. He could tell you about all of the times he snatched at an opponent, only to grab air as said opponent leaped out of his reach just in time. It wasn't like most tether grabs—he couldn't snag onto the ledge with it, but it would have to do—for now.

Determinedly, Luigi brandished his new Poltergust G-00, a 35th anniversary present from his friend and mentor, Elvin Gadd. Taking careful aim, he fired a plunger at the lead Dark TL, pulling him close, and then slammed him backwards with all his might. As the lead Dark TL tumbled helplessly through the air, Luigi fired another plunger at the other Dark TL, but instead of tossing him backward, he aimed skyward before forcefully releasing the suction, launching his opponent upward. Luigi brilliantly followed up his attack with three flip kicks and finished with a spectacular fiery uppercut, the flash of red-orange illuminating the gloomy surroundings for a few seconds. The Dark TL wailed as he toppled into the distance and disappeared as a tiny star.

Which left the lead Dark TL to deal with.

Luigi dropped down to the middle platform, cautiously searching for his remaining foe. Suddenly, something hard struck him in the jaw, sending him stumbling into a wall. It was a boomerang!

With a loud yell, Dark Toon Link pounced on his still-recovering foe with a kick to the face, knocking him onto his back. Luigi kicked hard from the ground and managed to get to one knee before Dark Toon Link came in with a savage forward smash. The man in pink rolled away, threw a handful of fireballs and jumped clear of another slash. He managed to get in his three-hit neutral attack, giving him just enough breathing room to decide his next move. As Dark Toon Link came at him again, Luigi bounced and flipped about his mansion, dealing out swift, harsh aerial attacks as his foe continued to slash away. This game of cat and mouse went on for about two minutes, the "mouse" beginning to enjoy himself, licking his lips as he steadily built up the damage on the "cat" with his n-air, b-air, u-air, f-air and the occasional heavy punch on the ground. The "cat" began to get frustrated, growling at the "mouse" and slicing haphazardly with his sword. By the time Luigi figured out how to end the fight, his body was covered in slashes, along with large bruises where the boomerang managed to hit him. The Bombs left light burns on him, and those red eyes were nothing short of unnerving. But he was going to win.

Cartwheeling clear of a Bomb, Luigi flipped his limber yet aching body onto a platform, Dark Toon Link in hot pursuit. As Dark Toon Link hopped onto the platform, he raised his sword overhead, a crazed expression on his face. "I've got you now!" he giggled.

Luigi steadied his breathing. "No," he said. "You don't."

He clenched his fist, summoned his strength, and—

KRIIINNNGG!

Luigi sent his Super Jump Punch flying into Dark Toon Link, knocking him into the sky and bringing the battle to a satisfying end.

"GAME!"

The man in pink dropped onto his bottom, composing himself and tending to his wounds. Those Dark Toon Links did a very good job of being terrifying! If this was only the first stage, then what—or who—could be more terrifying?

He found himself silently answering his own question as his hand instinctively reached to his scar. For a second, he remembered the moaning wind and the cold, and—and the grinning skull and…

Luigi set his jaw. Now wasn't the time to think of such things. He survived that, and he could definitely survive _this_. Humming a familiar tune to himself, he stood to his feet, nodded to Master Hand, and followed him to the next stage.

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	3. You Killed My Brother

**You Killed My Brother**

After dropping Luigi off at the second fight of his route, Master Hand floated over to his private viewing area, with a comfy, reclining seat and panoramic windows. Charlie approached him with a cup of coffee for the Hand of Creation and a glass of wine for herself.

"You think he'll handle this one?" she asked as she gave MH his coffee and hopped into the seat next to him.

"I'm confident that he will," said MH as he saw Luigi appear on the Melee Brinstar stage.

"I don't know if he's going to be terrified, angry or both," mused Charlie.

"Charlie, you and I both know that he's endured worse than that," MH told her. "I have faith in him. He'll keep his emotions under control."

The two then sat back and watched the action unfold on Brinstar.

Brinstar was infamous for its occasionally rising pool of acid and its destructible fleshy blob holding it together. Once the blob was hit with enough attacks, the main platform would separate, creating a chasm ripe for stunning upsets. The aforementioned acid could also be used as assisted KO's, and the only place where the fighters were safe was a small platform hovering above the main one. Any fight on Brinstar, be it a 1v1 or a free-for-all, would quickly devolve into a heated struggle to hold that single platform.

Now, Luigi stood on the left side of the main platform. His eyes sparkled with fire, and his skin glowed in the light refracting off the cavernous walls. He could hear the low rumble of acid bubbling below and feel slight tremors rock the area every so often. The sound of his breathing echoed around him, and the air around him was cool, with an earthy smell.

Across from him was a pair of yellow, beady eyes belonging to a winged, purple creature. This creature unfolded his wings and rose to his full height, standing over the plumber. A mirthless chuckle escaped his lips.

"'Too big', they said," he said in a booming voice. Chuckling again, he went on. "Well, if anything, that short, fat brother of yours was too _weak_! But he _did_ provide me with some nourishing cells to feast on. You wanna know the marvelous _snapping_ sound his scrawny little neck made when I rammed my tail straight through it? Or the gurgling sound he made as I was skewering him? Or the look on his pudgy little face once I had him dead to rights?"

Luigi didn't give him the benefit of a reaction. Instead, he stared at the giant-sized Ridley with a calm, focused expression. Samus had told him what happened that day when they were exploring a reactor. Later that day, they'd gone through the camera footage, and the man in pink would never forget the image of his big bro being speared by that tail. Luckily, the end of Mario's game had been temporary. Not that it made it any better.

"A little quiet, are we?" chortled Ridley. "Well, I promise you, that won't last long." He grinned sadistically as he bared his claws.

In response, Luigi raised his fists, the look in his eyes becoming a hardened glint. He knew the Space Pirate would try to provoke him like this; all villains did nowadays. But as long as he ignored Ridley's gloating and kept his focus on the grueling battle ahead, he'd have a fighting chance.

"Ready?" boomed Master Hand's voice. "GO!"

Luigi jumped toward the topmost platform, but Ridley cut him off with a cackle, slashing him twice with his claws and stomping him back down with his foot. The plumber flipped himself back up and delivered a back kick to Ridley's gut before fast-falling and dealing out a harsh forward smash. Ridley got even with an explosive blast from his mouth, but Luigi threw a handful of fireballs from the ground and performed another kick attack while getting up. Next, he tether-grabbed Ridley and slammed the giant monster behind him, giving himself time to leap to the safety of the top platform.

"Impressive!" Ridley said mockingly.

He leaped up to join him and was met with a flurry of karate chops, and then a flip kick, and then a downwards kick which meteor smashed him to the floor. Ridley then swiped at Luigi with his wings and his tail; unfortunately, Luigi fluidly dodged his strikes and hit him with another d-air. With a growl, Ridley got back up and thrust both wings upward, sending Luigi reeling into the air. The Space Pirate positioned himself above his foe before viciously stomping with both feet, plowing Luigi into the stage. Luigi picked himself up and tried to cartwheel to safety, only for Ridley to grab him and savagely grind him against the stage as he dragged him across. Afterward, he tossed Luigi, and then stabbed forward with his tail, landing a clean hit. But Luigi still rocketed himself back onto the stage and into Ridley, sending him stumbling.

Firing his plunger at Ridley, Luigi slammed the beast down and hit him with a d-air, then a fastfalling n-air, then two more d-airs and finally an awesome up-B, sending Ridley tumbling and smoldering. Luigi jumped after him and trapped him in a Cyclone, but the Space Pirate broke free and stabbed three more times with his tail before smashing Luigi downward a second time.

The man in pink shook off the pain and once again faced Ridley, who sneered down at him.

"You're a tough cookie, aren't you? No matter." Ridley's eyes narrowed. "I'm going to do to you what I did to your beloved brother, only worse!"

 _I'd like to see you try_ , thought Luigi.

Ridley charged at the plumber then, but Luigi slid behind him and delivered a solid side kick, knocking him forward. He ducked Ridley's claws and plowed several heavy punches to the Space Pirate's midsection, and then reared back and attacked with a hard-hitting headbutt. Ridley was launched into the air, but got his bearings and stomped downward. This time, Luigi dodged and plowed another explosive uppercut into him.

There was a tremor, and the acid pool sloshed ominously as it rose to cover the stage. Ridley grabbed Luigi and tried to toss him into the acid, but the plumber escaped the grab and fired a forward smash, sending the beast into the dangerous liquid. Ridley yowled as he was launched straight back upward, and Luigi calmly snagged him with a plunger before slamming him back down. He repeated this until the acid settled back down, at which point he began hopping and dodging all around Ridley, attacking sharply yet quickly, dropping down for a down smash or two, or maybe a forward smash, but most of the time, he played it safe, mainly using his aerial attacks to rack on hurt or setting up combos with his throws.

Finally, Ridley had enough. He flew up and then tackled Luigi to the floor, pinning him down, angrily slashing with his claws and then stabbing again and again with his tail. With a grunt, Luigi kicked Ridley off of him and retreated to one of the upper platforms. Ridley spat out five large fireballs at him, but he vaulted over, sidestepped or ducked under them all.

The two charged toward each other, Luigi attacking first with a ferocious karate chop, followed by another and another, then air-dodging Ridley's attack, throwing out a jump kick and then a fast-fall flare kick. As the beast zoomed offstage, Luigi crouched down, focused every drop of contempt he held toward Ridley inward and then blasted off in a glorious Misfire! For Luigi, the feeling was delightful, as if he was released from a spring, the wind screaming in his ears and heat flashing around his body as he soared across the stage and collided hard with his foe. The Green Missile (or Pink Missile) encountered Ridley's chest with a satisfying _thud_. Samus's archnemesis plummeted off the stage and into the lower blast line as Luigi coldly watched.

"GAME!"

"No one messes with my bro," Luigi said in a low voice. "No one."

Master Hand got up from his chair and turned to Charlie. "Told ya," he said before departing to escort Luigi to his next battle.

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	4. Season of the Witch

**Season of the Witch**

Umbra Clock Tower was a fairly hazard-less stage, but the ambience was a tad disorienting. The main platform was shaped like a clock and continually rose like an elevator. Smaller platforms materialized intermittently, and serpent-like creatures would fly by. Two years after the stage was first introduced, its scare factor hadn't diminished.

Luigi studied the Umbra Witch standing across from him. Bayonetta was introduced late in the fourth tournament as a DLC character, the winner of 2015's Smash Ballot. She had a lot of powerful moves at her disposal, the most powerful being Witch Time, where she trapped her opponents in slow motion to whale on them. Also, she had a lot of combos in her toolset. People spewed salt behind her back and yelled at Master Hand over it, leading to her nerf in mid-2016. Who knew that Luigi and Bayo had so much in common? He used to have a plethora of down throw combos, until he was hit with a nerf in September 2015 after enough people made a scene. But that was ancient history. This was a new tournament, he had a new tether grab, and he'd put together new, better combos.

At least he wasn't banned in legal tournament play, but he came close to before Master Hand nerfed him.

Bayonetta smiled invitingly at Luigi, pistols in hand. Her stiletto heels were also pistol-equipped. She had richly dark, wavy hair which she used to summon demons. However, since Master Hand wanted to keep these tournaments family-friendly, she showed considerably less than she did in her home world. But we're getting off-topic here.

"Hello, L," she said. "Ready when you are."

Luigi nodded and raised his fists. To him, Bayo didn't seem entirely scary. She was more alluring than spooky. All she did was hunt angels, and since he wasn't an angel, he had nothing to worry about. Her attacks, on the other hand, were what he needed to watch out for. They were high-damage and chained into themselves. The fact that they were significantly toned down from her home series did little to help.

"Ready—GO!"

Bayonetta busted a few moves. "Let's dance!" she cried.

Confidently, she strutted towards Luigi, but the man in pink was ready for her. He shot off a few fireballs, and then tether-grabbed her, slamming her forwards. Bayo simply shook it off and began her Bullet Climax, firing first with her pistols, and then with her stiletto heel pistols. Her foe shielded the last few shots, crouched down and propelled himself toward her, and then grabbed her, ejected her upwards and mashed her with his Cyclone move.

"Too close," smirked Bayo, activating her Witch Time before combo-ing Luigi with her Witch Twist. Unfortunately for her, his n-air saved him from losing the fight, and his new z-air pushed her away, allowing him to fastfall and regroup himself.

But Bayo had a few more tricks up her sleeve. She wound up and summoned a giant demon fist, which delivered a wicked haymaker punch to Luigi's body, knocking him sprawling. Next, she snagged him with a Heel Slide and sent him into the air with a cartwheeling kick. Slightly dazed, Luigi tossed out another n-air and a flip kick before knocking her away with a b-air. But she managed to summon another giant fist, this time giving Luigi a massive uppercut.

Luigi landed hard, but he still had enough breath in him to leap to his feet and negate Bayo's next charge with a forward smash. The Umbra Witch crumpled, but she rolled to her feet and performed her neutral attack. Luigi parried a few of the pistol whip punches, but he soon became overwhelmed by the flurry. After the attack, Bayonetta kicked out thrice, did a Witch Twist upward, and then an After-Burner Kick. Luigi broke out of the combo with a n-air and meteor-smashed her with his d-air.

He grabbed her then, slamming her down and hitting her with a succession of d-airs and n-airs before forcing her backward with f-airs. He aimed an up-B at her, but she dodged with her Bat Within, leaving him in a vulnerable state.

Bayo didn't even wait for him to hit the ground. Relentlessly, she assailed him with kicks and pistol whipping, summoning that giant fist from time to time. She wasn't among the strongest Smashers for having a pretty face. But Luigi wasn't about to take this! He threw out his n-air when he could, managing to hit back with punches, bicycle kicks, fireballs and his forward smash. He backflipped out of range of her Witch Time and Misfired into her torso, and then grabbed her and slammed her backwards. She sailed toward the edge, but Luigi waited for her there, throwing fireballs and hampering her recovery. Eventually, she flipped herself above him and punished with an axe kick, but Luigi DI'd before she could follow up, did another d-air spike, delivered a hard kick and fired a piercing forward smash into her waist, sending her back offstage. Balancing himself precariously on the stage, he watched her approach, timed things very carefully, and then—

Before the Umbra Witch could grab the ledge, Luigi gave her a simply, shy dirt kick. Wearing a stunned look, Bayonetta plunged straight downward into the blast zone.

"GAME!"

Luigi exhaled slowly. Bayonetta had given him one whopper of a fight! He was beginning to understand why Spain almost banned her in their tournaments. Then, he chided himself for thinking such things, remembering the hate and salt over his down throw and how they pushed Master Hand into nerfing him. Would select countries and cities have banned him, too? Luigi shook his head, getting the past out of his mind. There was certainly no talk of banning or nerfing him, now. Maybe it was out of sympathy after…

What a joke, tricking him into going inside that castle, his ghost-busting skills failing him for the first time ever, bringing him face to face with that _creature_. Luigi knew without a doubt that Waluigi had been behind it, with him being upset that he was still stuck on Assist Trophy duty. Why did he take it out on poor Luigi? Waluigi _always_ took things out on Luigi. The purple-clothed man didn't like him, and the feeling was mutual. The man in pink had a good mind to change into his purple ensemble just to spite his foil.

Luigi also couldn't wait to see the look on Waluigi's face once he completed his route and put all of his nightmares to rest. He wouldn't be so quick to play practical jokes on him then.

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	5. Six Spooky Miis

**Six Spooky Miis**

 **Warning for blood and intense action**

He was once again at his mansion, only this time, the stage was in Battlefield form. What this meant was that the stage consisted of one main platform, followed by three smaller platforms, a style which mimicked the Battlefield stage. Half of the night sky seemed swallowed up by a huge, ghostly moon, and the wind moaned hauntingly. Luigi scanned the stage, searching for his opponent.

Faintly, Luigi heard commotion and whipped his head in its general direction. There, he saw the shadowy outline of a pigtailed girl holding some sort of staff. A childish giggle echoed around him as the girl aimed her staff at him and fired.

The plumber didn't waste time gawking. His body corkscrewed, and he rolled to safety, the nerves and synapses in his body firing on all cylinders and his pupils dilating as his eyes fixed on the girl. She stepped from the shadows, smirking at him, and that was when Luigi saw that she was wearing a familiar red dress. He got to his feet as she twirled her staff, fists up, waiting.

The staff swung. Luigi parried it with his forearm and went in with an awesome hook to the body. The girl gasped, and the plumber served up two more body shots, grabbed her, did his down throw and chained off a combo. D-air, n-air, d-air, d-air, f-air, f-air, f-air, side-B. The girl got up, snickered and fired her staff again, the projectile hitting him square in the face. Luigi teched his landing and flip-kicked her, but she bashed him hard with her staff and fired off a starburst of smaller shots before grabbing him, grinning mischievously at him and kicking him into the air. He air-dodged her aerial attacks and came back with his down-B. But before he could follow up, he felt a hand tap his shoulder.

He turned.

A blade slashed.

Luigi landed flat on his butt, his heart stopping cold when he saw the interloper. It was a man dressed in black, wearing a white hockey mask over his face, with two menacing slits for eyes and small holes everywhere else. In his hand, he clutched an ugly-looking blade. Behind him, the girl cackled as Hockey Mask advanced. Luigi sucked in his breath and kicked Hockey Mask in the gut, and then flipped himself onto the topmost platform. He swiftly knocked the girl away with a forward smash, and then glanced up as a blow slammed into him from above.

It came from a Mii dressed like a wizard, his robe red-gold and his pointy hat black. Wizard punched him again, sending him flying. Hockey Mask jumped back in, slashing with his blade. Then, Luigi propelled a karate chop into Hockey Mask's face and threw his fireballs at him, Wizard and the girl, trying to decide who to knock off the stage first.

The girl broke him off by firing a powerful bolt at him. His body spasmed, and he fell, gasping, onto the stage. Sweeping his legs, he lined the trio up like bowling pins and rocketed himself toward them. The girl was knocked back the farthest, but she managed to grab onto the ledge and flip herself back up. Wizard and Hockey Mask double-teamed Luigi, the former doling out brutal punches and kicks while the latter just preferred to use his blade. Having had enough of them using him as their punching bag, the man in pink got them off his back with a Cyclone. But then the girl came at him with a flying kick, and then fired several aerial bolts at him with her staff. He fought her off with his b-air and backflipped to another platform.

Hockey Mask was waiting for him.

There was glee in Hockey Mask's eyes as he played with his blade like his favorite toy and studied Luigi. The plumber breathed in staccato bursts, feeling the beads of sweat on his body. Still, he held his fighting stance. He wasn't about to let this creep get the best of him without pounding him hard!

Hockey Mask slashed. Luigi dodged, dropped and did a low kick, knocking Hockey Mask off balance. Then, he shot a fist forward, squarely into Hockey Mask's face, and then dodged another slash and fired a forward smash into Hockey Mask's midsection. Finally, he tether-grabbed Hockey Mask, pummeled him and slammed him backwards as hard as he could muster, sending him soaring. Noticing Wizard lunging at him, Luigi met him with a down smash, and then he sucked the girl into a Cyclone. As the three of them attempted to gain their wits, Luigi crouched down and propelled himself into his opponents, knocking all three out of bounds.

Luigi took a few deep breaths, refocusing himself. He dashed to the center of the stage, bracing himself for more opponents. A few seconds went by before he was grabbed from behind and flung across the stage!

He landed with a thud, flipping himself over to look at his attacker. It was a vampire girl with long lashes, pale skin, long eyelashes and thin lips, wearing dark eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara and licorice-black lipstick. Two fangs protruded from both sides of her mouth, and a bit of blood was smeared on her chin and mouth corners. Her attire consisted of a frilly, pink, bloodstained shirt unbuttoned at the collar, black skinny jeans and a tattered black frock coat. She grinned down at the plumber, who responded by hefting a fireball at her head.

Luigi leaped to his feet, only to be grabbed by a woman in a crocodile suit and punched toward Vampire Girl. He managed to hit her with a flying kick before she could do anything, but she got back up, grin still on her lips, and brandished two wicked-looking blades. She lunged at him, slashing and hacking away.

But now, Luigi was an even tougher customer than before. His body moved fluidly throughout the mansion, evading as many slices as he could and parrying the others. Whenever she managed to gash him, he got back up. He could wind her with well-placed body blows, stun her with fireballs and knock her off her feet with his breakdance kick. Then, Crocodile Suit joined in the chase, the two of them trying to corner the plumber. Crocodile Suit threw heavy punches at Luigi's face and gut, slowing him down and discombobulating him for a few seconds. She body-slammed him into the floor and against walls. She suplexed him toward Vampire Girl and watched as she set on him with her dual blades. Luigi's nerves were fraying just a little bit, but he still gave as good as he got. He reared back and caught Crocodile Suit with his up smash, and then got her in a down throw for some impressive combos. As for Vampire Girl, he began wearing her down with aerial attacks, thinking to himself that a little damage would go a long way.

As Luigi battled the dangerous duo, he noticed someone else approaching out of the corner of his eye. He tether-grabbed Vampire Girl and threw her into Crocodile Suit before whirling around to face the newcomer. It was—a guy in a golden bear suit?

The plumber rolled his eyes and then nailed the point of Golden Bear's chin with a Fire Jump Punch, and then assailed him with rapid-fire f-airs. But then Golden Bear grabbed and pummeled him before kicking him backwards. Luigi checked his landing and recovered with a Missile, knocking both Golden Bear and an approaching Crocodile Suit away in the process.

Vampire Girl skipped merrily towards him, dual blades at the ready. Luigi faced her, jaw set. He acrobatically ducked between the slashing blades and threw one—two—three punches to her face, followed by a kick to her flank. In response, she sliced him down one arm. Ignoring the sting, he shot that arm forward and caught her squarely in the jaw, and then vaulted over her head, kicking her from above, before tether-grabbing her and slamming her down and pelting her with his d-air and n-air flurry. Vampire Girl dealt out several slashes to the legs, followed by a few generous ones to the hips and body and a swift one across his face.

The attack left Luigi writhing on the ground. Vampire Girl, Golden Bear and Crocodile Suit closed in on him, but he struggled up and leaped to the high platform in the nick of time, causing the trio to collide with one another. His heart rapped a martial beat against his chest, and he breathed in deep whooshes, but he wasn't going to give up. He shot his fireballs at the group as they leaped up to get at him, and then he vaulted from platform to platform, sweeping his legs at them whenever they got too close.

Golden Bear attacked him with a massive uppercut. He flew toward Vampire Girl, who cut him twice more across the face and slashed him five times on his body. Thinking quickly, he threw out his n-air, grabbed Golden Bear, and slammed him forwards, catapulting him into Crocodile Suit. They jumped toward him, and he met their charge head-on, sweeping them both into his Cyclone and rendering them down for the count.

Now, only Vampire Girl remained. She was disheveled, and her blades were stained claret red. Presently, she rubbed the two blades together, producing a sharp _zing_ sound which vibrated in Luigi's ears. Her eyes firmly on him, she shrugged off her frock coat, tossed it off the stage and opened two more buttons on her blouse. Staring her down, Luigi rolled up the sleeves of his pink shirt.

Slashing maniacally, Vampire Girl rushed at Luigi. He cartwheeled over her and did a low b-air at the backs of her knees. His opponent bent in two and fell backwards, allowing him to snag her with his tether grab and down throw her into a punishing combo. She slashed downward with her blades, breaking free, dealing out a kick to the abdomen and two slashes to the shoulder. He tripped Vampire Girl with his wake-up attack and punched her a few times, but she put a stop to that with a jab from her dual blades. He dropped low again and threw a down smash, and then dodged among the platforms as her blades whizzed just inches from him. Whenever she missed an attack, Luigi hit her with a tilt attack or a forward smash, and then slid along the ground to keep out of range. Moonlight danced wildly about Vampire Girl's blades as they spun and slashed here and there, but Luigi corralled his breathing, maintaining his cool, evading and parrying her attacks and slamming rock-hard blows into her whenever he saw an opening.

Their battle went on, the advantage wildly seesawing back and forth between Vampire Girl and Luigi. The latter was growing cross and bloodied, but he'd be caught dead letting the former get to him. He aimed a kick at her, but she parried and sent him sprawling onto his back. Her eyes lit up as she straddled his hips and sliced frenziedly, Luigi doing his best to protect his face and refusing to cry out.

Vampire Girl gave a bone-chilling laugh, her blades now at Luigi's neck as he lay there, cut, slashed and breathing heavily. She thought she had him dead to rights. She was wrong.

POW! A fiery fist collided with her face.

CRACK! Another blow sailed into her midsection, causing her to drop her blades.

KRIIIINNNNGGG! Luigi's mighty uppercut was the final straw. Screaming piteously, Vampire Girl hurtled off the stage and out of bounds.

"GAME!"

Luigi crumpled to the floor upon hearing that word. His body shook uncontrollably, his breath coming fast. He scooted himself against the wall of his mansion, eyes closed, recovering body and mind from that terrifying fight. No way was he turning back—he was almost halfway through. _I have to be brave_ , he reminded himself. _I have to be brave._

The shaking stopped, and his breathing returned to normal. His heartbeat quieted, a strange, serene feeling winging through him. He stood up, hopped onto the top platform and made himself comfortable, staring up at the hazy moon in the starless sky.

"Where do all these guys come from?"

 **Merry Christmas! Please read and review.**


	6. Shadow of a Hero

**Shadow of a Hero**

Master Hand had dropped Luigi off at Midgar, a stage which screamed steampunk. The stage itself was constructed of steel, and the backdrop was dark and murky and hazy. Frankly, Luigi found it more depressing than frightening. Why was he fighting Cloud Strife, anyway? The ex-SOLDIER was an all-right, if brooding, guy. Maybe it had something to do with his home world. Luigi wasn't really a Final Fantasy bluff, so he had no way of knowing. He'd just have to figure it out as he went along.

Footsteps on the steel floor brought him back to the present. Another pair of glowing red eyes stared menacingly at him. Luigi frowned. That didn't look like Cloud. Then, he saw the outline of a pointy hat, a shield, and a sword. His breath hitched. This could only mean one thing—the man standing across from him was Dark Link!

Fighting four Dark Toon Links was bad enough. Here, Luigi would have to expend every drop of sweat in his body to best Dark Link. At least it wasn't Fierce Deity Link, with those blank white eyes and that paint on his face. Luigi couldn't make up his mind as to which of those two iterations of Link was scarier.

"You can do this, L," he whispered to himself as Dark Link did a few flourishes with his sword. "You can do this."

"Ready…GO!"

"Hyahh!" cried Dark Link, lunging at Luigi. But the man in pink sidestepped the Master Sword and punched him twice in the stomach before bumping him away with his rump. Dark Link fell on his back, but was back up in seconds, growling. Luigi discouraged him from lunging again with his fireballs, but Dark Link smirked, took out a Spirit Bomb, and then flung it at his opponent. Quickly, Luigi rolled out of the way, lashed out with a breakdance kick, grabbed Dark Link, and hurled him over to his own bomb before throwing a single fireball at them.

The Spirit Bomb exploded in a burst of blue light, launching Dark Link upward. Luigi jumped onto the topmost platform and hacked at his foe with karate chops, ending the combo with his Cyclone. Dark Link recovered, and Luigi hopped out of the way of that sword and then did a flip kick, and then repeated twice more before knifing his hand into Dark Link, doubling him over.

Luigi grabbed him then, pummeled him twice, and then slammed him down, performing another one of his combos. But Dark Link grew tired of this. He broke free with a kick to the face, unleashed a flurry of rapid-fire sword slashes, and then did three giant overhead slashes, knocking Luigi skyward. Dark Link followed him and did his Spin Attack. But the attack left him in freefall, and Luigi took advantage with a down aerial, meteor-smashing him into the stage.

As Dark Link rose, glowering, Luigi noticed a red orb floating toward him. Curious, he snagged it. When he did, the area around him and Dark Link went almost completely black. An ominous bright light flickered in the sky, and Luigi just barely managed to vault to safety when a laser beam slammed into the stage, cleaving it in two.

"That's interesting," shrugged Luigi.

The two halves of the stage rejoined, and then Dark Link jumped toward his foe, sword raised. Luigi just parried the attack and punched him upward, followed up with a n-air, then a u-air—and then Dark Link thrust his sword downward, slamming Luigi to the floor.

As the plumber rolled to his knees, Dark Link hurled his gale boomerang. First, the weapon smashed into Luigi's face, stunning him. Next, the gale pulled Luigi toward Dark Link, allowing him to snag him with his Clawshot, pummel him with the hilt of his sword, and then toss him up to style a combo on him. Luigi freed himself with his n-air and took the lead back with his Cyclone.

"Hyahh!" Dark Link screamed again as he lashed back with his sword and shot arrows at his opponent. But Luigi still got up to land crisp strikes on him. The only substantial thing Dark Link was able to do was briefly stun Luigi with Spirit Bombs before whaling away. But the plumber tapped into the skills he'd utilized from his fight with the four Dark Toon Links, throwing his fireballs and playing cat-and-mouse with him, leaping between platforms, backflipping and cartwheeling and shrugging off sword slashes as if they were nothing. By now, Dark Link began to grow frustrated, his already red eyes blazing and his teeth bared, giving him a truly terrifying appearance. Luigi's heart pumped furiously, but he kept at it, dancing in for rapid-fire strikes, dancing out before his foe could retaliate, flicking out fireballs, dealing a Smash attack when he had the opportunity, and of course, sailing into him with his side-B when he felt confident enough. But time was running out, and he needed to end this fight quickly.

Staring unflinchingly into Dark Link's enraged face, Luigi continued to engage him until the dark elf was nearly tired out. And then, Luigi dashed in close, clenched his fist, pulled back, and—KRIIINNNGGG!

Midgar erupted in a spectacular flash of fire as the Super Jump Punch hit home and rendered Dark Link down for the count.

"GAME!"

Luigi smiled as Master Hand rematerialized. He was feeling pretty good!

 **Please review.**


	7. The Masque of Wire Mac

**The Masque of Wire Mac**

Now, he was on the roof of his mansion, waiting for his next opponent. He couldn't help but shudder as he remembered his fight with those six characters, especially Hockey Mask and Vampire Girl. Master Hand sure knew how to make fights scary! Then, he told himself to stop living in the past. What had mattered was that he got through that fight, just like he got through…

It was only luck that he'd gotten through that castle, because the muscular blonde guy had arrived. If he hadn't…Luigi didn't allow himself to complete that thought. After he'd gotten back, he'd done some research on that skeleton guy, and his findings were horrifying. The skeleton guy was Death, and he served someone by the name of Dracula. Had Death delivered his soul to Dracula, Luigi would've spent eternity at that bloodsucker's beck and call. Who knew what kind of perverted things Dracula would've made him do?

But he was here. Alive. Pushing back against that traumatic experience and turning it into motivation to become a better person. Maybe he'd ask that blonde hunk to teach him a few moves. Either way, next time he confronted Death or Dracula, Luigi would be ready.

The sound of shuffling brought Luigi back to the present. A figure wearing a green hoodie stood across from him in a boxing stance. The plumber brightened. "Little Mac?" he asked.

The boxer raised his head, and Luigi started. His face was nothing more than a green, wire grid. No eyes, no nose, no mouth. His thighs and legs were also green wire grids, and with that hoodie, he kind of resembled a Greenie. "What in the Inferno?" muttered Luigi.

Then, he understood. This was Wireframe Mac, the iteration of Little Mac who didn't speak—just made 8-bit noises. The faceless boxer had the tendency to weird out Smashers, gamers and spectators alike. Luigi was _definitely_ creeped out, especially when Wire Mac turned his face directly toward _him_.

Luigi took a deep breath and dropped into a fighting stance.

"Ready…GO!"

Wire Mac hunched his shoulders, bobbing and weaving his way toward Luigi. The plumber dodged all of his punches and returned with several punches of his own before grabbing and slamming him forwards. As Wire Mac lay on the floor, Luigi crouched down and launched himself at him. Both got up, and Wire Mac got even with a wicked left hook to the jaw, followed by a mighty straight punch to the body. Luigi groaned—this guy could sure fight like Little Mac! Before he could react, Wire Mac had him in a Piston Punch, spiraling him towards the sky. But then, Luigi kicked himself free and spun into Wire Mac a few times with his Cyclone.

Then, they went back to exchanging punches, shuffling about the mansion's roof. Boxing was no stranger to Luigi. He boxed for a few years in college, and then competed in a small, amateur boxing tournament back in 2003. So, he could easily keep up with Wire Mac and his powerful punches. However, Wire Mac's featureless visage and his silent stealth had Luigi's nerves on edge. This opponent seemed more machine than man.

 _Don't think like that_ , he chided himself. _He's a Smasher, same as you. And every Smasher has their weak spot. You can win this, L!_

Just then, Wire Mac's Straight Lunge slammed into Luigi, nearly knocking the breath from him. The man in pink responded in kind with a forward smash and then leaned against the roof, gathering his bearings. He pulled himself together in time to parry and block the next flurry of punches and give himself some breathing room with his "sissy-fists" dash attack. Then, he fully recovered and battered Wire Mac with short hop f-airs and flip kicks. But a punch from Wire Mac sent him back to the floor.

Luigi kicked out, tripping Wire Mac. The two men stared each other down before resuming their exchange of heavy blows. It was than that a lightbulb went off in Luigi's head. What better way than to defeat Wire Mac? The same way many Smashers beat Little Mac!

Smiling to himself, Luigi danced toward the edge of the stage, punches continuing to fly between him and Wire Mac. When he was balanced on the ledge, he made his move.

"C'mon, Mac!" he shouted, provoking his opponent. "I'm right here!"

Wire Mac leaped forward to finish Luigi with his Jolt Haymaker. Luigi ducked, and Wire Mac sailed right over his head and into open space. The plumber watched amusedly as his opponent tried and failed to recover with his up-B, plummeting into the blast zone.

"Wow," he mused. "Wireframe Mac may be creepy, but he's still no air fighter."

"Stay focused, Luigi," Master Hand's voice boomed. "I'm sending one more opponent down to you."

Luigi whirled as a giant shadow loomed over him…

 **Uh-oh. Who could that be?**


	8. Attack of the 50-Foot Monochrome Man

**Attack of the 50-Foot Monochrome Man**

"Oh, my…" breathed Luigi.

Standing over him was a faceless man of a different sort. He was completely monochrome, flat like a pancake, and spoke only in "beeps" and "boops". People considered him one of the grandfathers of modern gaming and Nintendo's first breakout character, making his introduction in 1980. His name was Mr. Game and Watch.

And now he was huge.

"I'm sorry—exactly how is this scary?" asked Luigi. "Mr. G&W is an old pal of mine."

"You'll see," said Master Hand.

"BEEP BOOP BEEP BOOP," said the Giant G&W.

Luigi said nothing, instead putting up his dukes, waiting.

"Ready—GO!"

The man in pink went in hard, aggressively, knowing that giant-sized opponents could take a lot of punishment before going down. Giant G&W just looked down at him as he hammered away, and then whipped out the insecticide pump from _Green House_ , propelling gas into his face. Coughing, Luigi rolled away.

Giant G&W walked slowly, casually, toward his foe. Luigi noticed, pulled himself to his feet, and raised his fists. His eyes were fixed hard on that dark, featureless, expressionless face as the giant's slow advance continued. Dancing forward, Luigi threw a few fireballs, but the giant caught them in a huge bucket, turning them into a bucket full of oil. Luigi cursed to himself; he almost forgot about that Oil Panic. He jumped and attempted to attack from the air, but Giant G&W flung the oil onto the plumber, knocking him back.

Luigi reoriented himself in time to dodge a giant chair swinging at his face, hop back up and fire a smash attack at Giant G&W. The giant swiped at him with a lit matchstick, but he only managed to graze his arm as the man in pink evaded the strike. Then, Luigi punched him twice more, grabbed, pummeled and slammed him down, cutting Giant G&W down to size with his combos. He used his n-air to extend these combos and reset himself whenever his huge foe tried to retaliate. Giant G&W managed to get him with his fishbowl attack, but Luigi reacted with a quick karate chop and a Cyclone.

Both fell back to the stage, and Luigi dove between Giant G&W's legs as the latter tried to use Judge, dealing out a side kick to the back. He jumped away as the giant whirled on him, and then he fended him off with back-airs until he came back with a Misfire. Sliding his body along the ground, he followed up with a breakdancing attack and finally a flip-kick. He rolled aside as Giant G&W tried to drop down on him with a key.

Giant G&W took out a frying pan and flipped giant food items at Luigi, who ducked, sidestepped and leaped over them all. So, the giant slammed two hammers on either side of himself, sending Luigi pinwheeling into the air. Next, Giant G&W smacked him with a turtle and hit him with a Judge 5. Thank goodness it wasn't a 9—then Luigi would've been in bad trouble.

Luigi cartwheeled away before Giant G&W could try again. His fireballs were out of the picture, but he could use the other weapons in his arsenal. He'd dart in, deal out a few hard-hitting attacks and then dart back out. There wasn't much room on the mansion roof to dodge about, but the man in pink simply made do with what he had. Giant G&W continued to attack with items and elements originating from his Game and Watch games, from manholes to air pumps. That chair especially hurt, but he preferred that to Judge. With sheer luck alone, he managed to dodge a Judge 9. After a grueling struggle, Luigi went on the offensive, using his aerials to pound away at a safe distance and Smash attacks for when the giant was off guard. His muscles were begging him to quit, but he couldn't. It would make him fair game for his giant opponent.

Giant Game and Watch found himself grabbed once again. Only this time, Luigi slammed him forward and followed him offstage, where he meteor-smashed him with his downward kick. The giant fell straight into the abyss below.

"GAME!"

"I still don't see how he fit the 'spooky' theme of this affair," mused Luigi.

"Didn't he look kind of spooky?" asked Master Hand.

"Well—yeah…"

"Your next and final fight, however, will make up for that. It's going to be as scary as scary can be!" promised MH. "Before that, however, I have a fun little Bonus Stage for you."

 **Happy New Year!**


	9. Gearing Up

**Gearing Up**

Charlie had just finished doing a security sweep of the Smash Mansion when she heard a voice behind her. "Excuse me…"

The Mii whirled, fists raised, but then she relaxed when she saw who it was.

"For God's sake, Mario! Do _not_ sneak up on me like that!" she cried.

Nintendo's mascot and Smash's unofficial spokesperson and third-in-command smiled at Charlie. "Sorry about that," he said.

"That's okay. Now, how can I help you?"

"Well, it's like this. I—need a favor."

Charlie nodded. "Okay."

"It appears that my bro is doing his Classic Mode route," said Mario. "Is there any way that I can, you know, spectate?"

Charlie blinked. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about," she said. Briskly, she began walking down the hallway, with Mario close behind.

"Look, I just don't want him going through this by himself," said Mario. "I need to send out my support and love to him, and watching him fight has always been the best way. I mean, after what happened in August…"

Charlie gave him a look. "How do you know about this, anyway?" she challenged.

"Let's just say that being Nintendo's mascot has its perks," winked Mario.

"Perhaps that's code for saying that you were eavesdropping," said Charlie.

"Actually, there's, uh, two of us," confessed Mario. "Me and…"

"Daisy," realized Charlie.

"I think that if he looks over and sees both of us sitting there, rooting for him, it'll give him the courage he needs to complete his route," explained Mario.

Charlie blew out a breath. "You do realize the position you're putting me in," she said.

"You've been here since the fourth tournament, Charlie. You're among those who helped him through that nerf nonsense in 2015. You know that all Luigi wants to do is prove himself and face his fears. But he can't do that by himself."

"Most Miis would've reported you to Master Hand," chided Charlie.

"Most younger brothers would've fled for their lives instead of trudging through a haunted mansion to save their elder brother," countered Mario. "And most elder brothers would've left the younger brother to fend for himself instead of regularly checking up on his well-being."

"You didn't let me finish," said Charlie. "I said _most Miis_. But I'm not most Miis, now am I?"

Mario beamed. "You're a true friend, Charlie."

"I can't promise you anything, though. Get Daisy, and meet me in the lounge in ten minutes."

Mario nodded before speeding off to Daisy's room.

Meanwhile, Luigi was running through an obstacle course as if his life depended on it. If he slowed for even a second, then the purple— _thing_ —behind him would swallow him up. As he ran, he hopped up platforms, collected gold, and destroyed the boxes blocking his path. There were turquoise boxes which revealed more gold, and there were purple boxes which set off explosions, clearing away dozens of boxes at a time. He also saw rectangular structures surrounded by electricity, structures which he'd try to avoid. Non-electrified rectangular structures could lower at any moment, obstructing his escape. To get past them, he either had to quicken his pace, or attack and destroy the structures. By the time he got to a cannon, Luigi's lungs were heaving. He jumped into the cannon and then blasted his way to the finish line.

"COMPLETE!"

"Despite this, I'm really happy you brought back the Bonus Stages," said Luigi. "It just wasn't Classic Mode without them."

"I'm flattered you think that," said MH before teleporting Luigi to the men's locker room.

Shower and hair-washing accessories were already waiting for Luigi. "What's this?" he asked.

"I thought you'd might like to freshen up before your final boss," explained MH.

"Thank you, Master Hand," said Luigi.

MH warped away, and the plumber undressed, hopped into the shower and lathered up his body and hair, humming a little tune. He rinsed and then lathered up a second time, enjoying the suds and the scent and the comfort. Finally, he rinsed again, wrapped himself in a towel, dried himself off, styled his hair and pulled on a fresh pink shirt and burgundy overalls with a pink ball-cap and white gloves.

Luigi stepped out of the locker room to find MH waiting for him.

"Are you ready for the final boss?" asked the Hand of Creation.

"I am," Luigi solemnly intoned.

"I must warn you, though," said MH. "This one is the embodiment of mortal terror. He'll make Boos look tame."

"Who or what can be scarier than Death ripping your soul out of your body?" asked Luigi.

MH chuckled and scooped Luigi up in his palm. "You're about to find out."

 **Please review.**


	10. The Tell-Tale Heart

**The Tell-Tale Heart**

Charlie walked into the lounge to find Daisy and Mario seated patiently, waiting for her. Mario had changed clothes in the interval, now wearing a fancy white suit with a red bow tie and a white top hat. Daisy wore a purple dress with a green skirt, her auburn hair hanging loosely. Both rose when they saw Charlie come in.

"Anything fancy planned for tonight, Mario?" asked Charlie.

Mario shook his head. "I guess I really like this suit, and this suit likes me."

"Fair enough," smiled Charlie. "Now, please, follow me, and try not to make too much noise."

"Hey!" a dulcet voice spoke up as a blonde woman in a red dress stepped briskly into the room. "I hope I'm not too late!"

"Right on time, Peachy," said Mario as his Mushroom Princess raced into his arms.

Charlie stared. "I wish you told me there was gonna be three of you."

"Apologies for the short notice," said Peach.

"That's fine; I'm sure I'll find room," Charlie assured her. "Come with me, please."

The trio followed Charlie out of the lounge and into a theater-like room with three reclining seats, a giant widescreen and a bowl of snacks. They quickly took a seat, with Mario sandwiched between the two Princesses.

Charlie gave each of them a headset. "Put these on," she instructed. "These will allow you to talk to him, cheer him on."

The three obeyed. Mario took a deep breath.

"I want you to stay here until I come and fetch you. If anyone passes by, don't make eye contact. And if they _do_ notice you, don't put up a fight. Trust me, it's not worth it. Just follow their instructions, and I'll see if I can find you an alternative."

"Okay," said Daisy.

"All right," said Peach.

"Okeydokey," said Mario.

Charlie smiled and departed. Peach laid her hand over Mario's, while Daisy crossed herself and said a short prayer. The screen flicked on, showing a high-def image of Luigi, wearing pink and burgundy, waiting nervously but determinedly for the final boss to appear.

Mario reflexively reached out for the image. "Luigi…"

Daisy rubbed the small of his back. "Breathe, M. Just breathe," she said softly. "He's gonna be all right."

As Daisy, Peach and Mario viewed Luigi on the screen, the pink-clad plumber himself stood in a familiar-looking hall, immersed in silence. Images of the past crept in, of creeping mummies and slithering snakes, of his Poltergust as it became a useless burden on his back. He remembered his courage slipping away as he realized that he was no longer in his element. He remembered that he was alone and scared and cold in an alien place. And then he remembered the grinning skull in dark robes leering at him, scythe raised. It had torn into his body, dragging his soul along with it, and it had hurt so much! Then, he steadied his breathing, bringing himself out of the memory. He was here, alive, and ready to confront whatever was in this hall.

"Hello?" he called.

His eye fell on a man seated casually on a throne, legs crossed, chin resting on his right hand while his left tapped the armrest. This man was dressed in a dark suit and had iron gray hair. Luigi cautiously stepped closer until he stood directly across from the throne. "Hello?" he said again.

That seemed to get the man's attention. He uncrossed his legs, raised his head and straightened in his seat. And when Luigi saw the thin eyebrows, the beard and the gray skin, he recognized the man immediately.

"Oh, _Dio_ ," he whispered. "You're him."

Dracula smirked at Luigi. "Have they told you who I am?"

"I've done my research, thank you very much," Luigi said crisply.

In their private room, Mario and the Princesses started. This was the man to whom Death answered! Would Luigi be able to keep his cool?

Oh, yes he would.

"So," grinned Dracula. "Luigi, isn't it?"

"You—know me," said Luigi.

"Yes, I do. You're not the only one cursed with knowledge."

Luigi set his jaw. "My only curse is you," he spat. "You've haunted my dreams for the past four months, but never again. Never again. I looked your little lapdog in the face and lived to tell the tale. Now, I've looked _you_ in the face—and I'm gonna defeat you."

Dracula chuckled. "Good luck." He rose from his seat and gave a dramatic swish of his cape. "Prepare to meet your doom, little man!"

He teleported in front of Luigi, who opened the fight with a running jump and a karate chop to Dracula's face. Thanks to his research, he had some clue on how to fight him. His head was the only part of him that was tangible, so he had to rely on mostly aerial attacks to bring him to his knees. Luigi threw out three more karate chops and a flip kick before Dracula teleported to another end of the hall. The plumber dashed after him, letting some fireballs fly as he did. With a swish of his cape, Dracula fired several large energy balls at his opponent. Quickly, Luigi retreated and did his best to dodge the projectiles, but one managed to hit him. He fell back, but quickly got up and ran at Dracula again. And again, Dracula teleported, this time behind Luigi. The man in pink jumped and performed a backwards kick before launching himself straight into Dracula's nose. His foe swished his cape before splitting into bats and swarming Luigi. But Luigi fast-fell and shielded the bat swarm before battering Dracula's face with more f-airs and u-airs.

Suddenly, he noticed flares on the ground beneath him. Thinking fast, Luigi hopped clear as multiple pillars of flame erupted across the hall. Then, he slipped behind Dracula and resumed his assault until the monster teleported away again. He fired three short blasts of fire at Luigi, who easily dodged and closed back in. By now, Dracula was at less than half HP, a comforting sight for Luigi. But his health diminished, Dracula's attacks grew more complex, combining the energy balls with the flame pillars and sending bigger bursts of flame his way. Luigi wound up taking a few fiery attacks, leaving painful burns on his skin. But he bit the pain back, feeling a peculiar warmth in his heart. He sensed that he was no longer alone in this fight, that there were people sitting somewhere, watching, cheering him on. It was a feeling which gave him strength and doubled his resolve. Licking his lips, the man in pink hacked more vehemently at Dracula's head, his body twisting as he anticipated the projectiles. And finally, with an emphatic grunt, Luigi slammed a powerful f-air into Dracula, sending him staggering.

Moaning, Dracula crumpled to his knees as Luigi watched in satisfaction. "I got you, you S.O.B.," the plumber growled.

But then Dracula giggled. "I'm not done with you yet, plumber," he warned.

Luigi's guard immediately went back up as his opponent began to transform…

 **Sorry for the long wait! Please review.**


	11. The Sum of All Fears

**The Sum of All Fears**

 **Content warning for blood and violence**

A loud roar thundered throughout the hall. Luigi just stood there, staring at the—creature he now had to fight. A giant, muscular monstrosity with blue-green skin, bat wings, a serpent-like tail and a horned head. Long, sharp claws on his hands and just as long and sharp talons on his feet. From his mouth protruded a set of gleaming fangs. And it got right in Luigi's face and _roared._

Back in their private viewing room, the three spectators recoiled at the sight of Dracula's monster form. Mario was whiter than a Boo, Peach doing her best to comfort him, while Daisy fiddled with the neckline of her dress, trying to stay strong.

"Oh, my God," gasped Mario. "Does Master Hand know what he's _doing_?"

"Mario, please. You have to think positive," said Peach.

"Yeah. Otherwise, how else will he face his fears?" Daisy joined in.

"He's counting on us, M," added Peach, "just as he's counting on himself."

Mario nodded, struggling to calm himself down as Luigi's apprehensive face once again filled the screen. They saw him close his eyes, his chest pulsing as he took several deep breaths. And then his eyes flashed open, and he raised his fists.

"Do it, Luigi!" the trio shouted in unison.

The good news about Dracula's monster form was that all of him was tangible. The bad news was that his attacks were more devastating. Luigi stayed quick on his feet, jumping and flitting about the monster and attacking when he could. Rearing back, the monster fired three purple, homing projectiles at Luigi, but he dodged one, shielded the second and parried the last. The monster then jumped into the air and tried to squash his challenger, only for said challenger to vault to safety. Then, he lunged back in, firing several heavy Smash attacks before he was stopped by a powerful slash from those claws, sending him halfway across the room. Luigi shook off the pain and leaped back up in time to avoid another projectile, a big, blue one, this time. The monster tried to stomp on him again, but Luigi was just too quick for him. In the air, the man in pink did his Cyclone attack and them bombarded the monster with b-airs and f-airs, twisting his body clear of another slash. Two small bursts of orange fire erupted from the beast's mouth, one of them hitting Luigi and stunning him enough to fall victim to one of those pillars of flame, blowing him backwards. The plumber got up, brushed himself off and ran at his opponent again, shooting himself like a rocket into the monster's belly. He threw a breakdance kick at the monster's legs and rolled away before the monster could retaliate. Now behind the monster, Luigi propelled a barrage of relentless blows to his back. But then the monster turned around and slashed him again—once, twice, three times, knocking him to the floor. He was able to roll to the side as his foe jumped at him, but he wasn't fast enough to evade the projectile sent his way.

The monster growled when he saw Luigi pick himself up. He was a stubborn one, but he'd bring him down. But Luigi faced this lug down, breathing through the pain and memory. He wrenched his body erect and raised his fists once more.

"I can do this all day," he gasped.

Furious at this show of defiance, the monster charged at Luigi. Calmly, the plumber slipped behind him and continued battering him with everything he had. He was now engaged in an all-out fight for his life. And that was in more ways than one. Obviously, Dracula in this form was exceptionally dangerous and pulled no punches. But Luigi was also fighting to take back his life. He was sick of being ruled by fears, flashbacks and nightmares. He hadn't been the same since his run-in with Death. But presently, he was battling Death's master, the being he'd dreaded for so long. By defeating Dracula, he'd put that fateful day behind him once and for all and reclaim his peace of mind.

 _Stay with it_ , Luigi told himself as he mashed his foe with his Cyclone again and dodged a blast of fire. He answered with his own fireballs before firing a forward smash at the monster's side. The monster pulled back and swiped him fiercely, sending him off his feet, but Luigi kicked hard from the ground before pulling himself back up. He cartwheeled backward as the monster tried to pounce on him again and threw more fireballs. Seeing more projectiles coming his way, he jumped and tried to cartwheel over the monster's head, but this time, the monster was ready for him, sending him smashing back down with a downward slash. The force was powerful enough to bounce the plumber back up, and the monster grinned before slashing Luigi repeatedly with his claws, the last slash having a dark magical effect. His nostrils flared incredulously as Luigi willed himself back up and into the fight.

The trio in their viewing room was going wild. "Look at him go!" shouted Daisy. Since his encounter with Death, anything associated with Dracula frightened the heck out of Luigi, but here he was, fighting him! And not only that, he was holding his own quite well! She saw him take massive blows from the monster and still get up. She saw him move with ethereal grace, dodging projectiles and leaping all over his opponent, dealing out lightning fast blows as he did. She saw the look in his eyes, the intense look which always got her pulse racing. She loved him so much, and here, she was reminded why.

"He's going to do it!" said Mario, holding hands with both Princesses. "I know he's going to do it! Just wait and see!"

"Now, that's the spirit!" laughed Peach. "I told you to hang in there!"

The camera continued to track Luigi as he fought harder and harder against the monster. Sweat glistened on his face, his mouth in an "O" shape. Brows were slightly furrowed, and his chest heaved. He flung fireball after fireball at the monstrosity before him, and then closed back in and pounded him with so many blows that his hands almost went numb. And then he'd evade, or try to evade, those projectile attacks and those claw swipes. He was soldiering on despite his fears and giving this monster one heck of a fight!

But Luigi was also in bad shape. Burns covered his body. His clothing was sustaining some damage. There was blood, so much blood. He was mottled with bruises. The three noticed him wince frequently, how he struggled to get back up after the monster managed to knock him down. And the pain was visible in his eyes—pupils slightly dilated and the blue color dimmed. Hurt and facing down someone from his worst nightmares, but not about to give up—or give in. The monster was almost done for, the journey almost over. He could do this. He had to. He was going to!

"You know," said Mario, "if Dracula had me in that castle as his 'guest', then I know Luigi would come charging in there."

The Princesses nodded.

"Of course, his secret weapon would need a few modifications," Mario went on, "but he'd come. He'd fight and die for me, and I for him."

"Same here," Daisy chimed in.

"And here," added Peach.

"But—how would you wind up in there, anyway?" asked Daisy.

"I don't know—maybe eat a bowl of gullible soup and walk right into a trap," shrugged Mario.

Laughter.

"Hey, you'll never know," said Mario.

The levity vanished in an instant when they heard an audible, jarring _thud_. Mario, Peach and Daisy stopped breathing when they saw Luigi on the floor, bleeding heavily. Fresh bruises on his face, eyes glazing over, mouth open as he gasped.

" _Dio_!" cried Mario.

They watched as the monster grinned mirthlessly and ran forward, vaulting high into the air—and onto Luigi. Daisy and Peach gasped and looked away. Mario pressed his hand to his mouth.

 _Get up_ , he prayed.

Luigi tried, only to be met with a claw to the midsection. He couldn't stop the yell of pain from escaping his lips.

The three spectators saw red as the monster continued to claw Luigi while he was down and trying to rise. Then, he kicked the plumber savagely, sending him sprawling. And then Luigi lay on his back, blood pouring from his mouth and the gashes all over him, staring, unseeing, at the ceiling. Hardly paying attention as the monster stomped toward him.

Mario then realized what he had to do. He leaned forward and spoke into his headset.

"Luigi…"

The voice seemed to whisper directly into the plumber's ear. At first, he thought he was in Heaven, or at least dreaming. But then he felt the floor against his back and heard the stomping. This wasn't a dream.

"Luigi…"

It was a voice he knew all too well. The accent, the baritone. He was here. Mario was here! But where? Oh, God—did Dracula have him?!

"You can do it."

A thrumming feeling manifested itself in his earlobes and then shot down his body. Somewhere in his core, a new pool of energy was forming.

"You—can—do—it…"

Slowly, painfully, Luigi sat up. Vision slightly blurred. Pain hammering everywhere. But his adrenal glands were humming, stimulated by Mario's voice. He needed him, and Luigi wasn't going to fail him!

" _Dove sei_?"

" _Qui_."

"Oh, _Dio_ , you're in…"

"No, I'm not in any danger. But I can see you. And so can Peach and Daisy."

"Daisy…"

"You got this, Luigi!" Daisy's spirited voice echoed, sending a spark along his muscles. "You're not alone in this fight! We've got your back!"

"We know you'll beat this monster yet!" added Peach. "Just don't give up! Don't give up!"

" _Abbiamo fiducia in te_! Go get him, Lil' Bro!" shouted Mario.

On those words, Luigi was up like a man possessed. The monster's eyes widened with honest-to-God shock. How could he still be up after taking that thrashing?!

He had no time to think about it, as Luigi lunged at him with a spirited shout and landed a blow to the jaw. The monster staggered, and Luigi punched him again and again. He leaped up and delivered a volley of harsh f-airs, and then a ferocious dropkick.

The three spectators cheered.

The finish line was definitely up ahead. Luigi charged himself up and propelled his body into the monster, sending him staggering a second time. Newfound strength zipped through his veins as he heard the voices of three of his closest supporters. While it was true he was defenseless in that castle, he had survived. Death had claimed his soul, but not for long. Those two vampire hunters, the muscular blonde in the short shorts and the muscular brunette, had saved him. Thanks to him, he'd live another day. He channeled more strength from the strength he'd seen from them, putting more power behind his attacks and giving the monster little time to retaliate. He speared his hand. He swept his legs about. He pulled off Cyclones in the air and on the ground. And he buzzed viciously around the monster with aerial blows.

"This is my life!" he cried out. " _This is my life_! It is not yours to take!"

"You tell him, L!" chortled Daisy.

The monster stumbled and swiped blindly, but Luigi easily parried the strikes.

"You've haunted my dreams for the last time!" Luigi slammed a blow into the monster's flank as he spoke.

"All right!" cried Peach.

"You've sabotaged my confidence for the last time!" A _crack_ rang out as Luigi dealt another wicked chop to the face.

"You like stealing people's souls and making them do your bidding? Well, I won't have it!" A misfired Missile nearly tumbled the monster off his feet.

"You're gonna do it!" yelled Mario. "You're gonna do it!"

Luigi stood before the monster, eyes blazing, fists clenched. The monster was reeling and had a small amount of HP left. It was time to finish this.

"I'm banishing you from every aspect of my life—for good," he announced in a determined tone. "You don't belong in this world, monster!"

He wound up, bounded forward and sent a spectacular Super Jump Punch into the monster. Screeching in pain, the monster slowly fell onto his back and exploded in a swirl of red and purple.

"Yes!" exclaimed Mario, leaping to his feet. The ladies joined him, and the three of them cheered.

Luigi stood in the now-silent hall, catching his breath. _I did it_ , he thought. _I did it. I won. I beat him. Dracula and Death will never bother me again._ A shudder passed through his body as he began to laugh uncontrollably. Tears poured down his face. His knees gave out. The adrenaline left his body, and in its place was relief.

"I'm free," he said once he composed himself. "I'm free."

 **Only one chapter left. Please read and review.**


	12. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Two days later, Charlie exited the Training Room and was about to hit the showers when she noticed two well-muscled men bearing a large flower bouquet each, walking down the hall.

The blond one with the tunic and short shorts flagged her down. "Hey, Charlie!"

"Hi, Simon. Richter," greeted Charlie.

"Where's Luigi?" asked Simon. "I heard he's in the hospital. Is he doing all right?"

"He's doing fine. He'll be discharged later today," smiled Charlie. "Let me point you in the right direction."

Charlie led the Belmonts to the infirmary and paused at the door to Luigi's room. "L," she said. "You have some visitors."

"Let them in," Luigi's voice said from within.

Charlie nodded to Simon, who pushed open the door and stepped inside. Richter followed him.

Luigi's eyes widened when he saw his visitors. "Simon! Richter!"

Simon smiled. "I heard what you did," he said.

Luigi blushed. "Bet you didn't expect that."

"Actually, we kinda did," said Richter.

The plumber raised an eyebrow.

"After we saved you from Death, we had some time on our hands. We found out a lot about you," explained Richter. "We were very curious about that thing on your back. That's how we heard about—the mansions."

"Luigi, you're braver than you realize," said Simon. "Richter and I could find no words when we heard the tale of how you saved your brother's life twice. And the fact that you ventured into that castle in the first place was—wow."

"It was a dare," huffed Luigi.

"But you still found the courage to take that dare. That's what I mean," gushed Simon. "Courage from within—perhaps there's a bit of Belmont in you, figuratively speaking, of course. And while Richter and I fight vampires, you fight ghosts. We overcame much, and so have you." The vampire hunter rested a hand on Luigi's shoulder. "Keep fighting the good fight, my friend. Don't let your fears bar you from living your life." He placed the flowers on a table beside Luigi.

"Those are very beautiful," said Luigi.

"You know," ventured Richter, "maybe you can help us on our quests, one of these days."

"You have to teach me a few moves, first," smiled Luigi. "Maybe I can introduce you to Elvin Gadd. He's my mentor, and he trained me in ghost hunting. If you explain to him how monsters differ from ghosts, the two of you can work together to modify my Poltergust. Then, I'll have two areas of expertise, the ethereal and the corporeal."

"If we do that, then maybe you can give us some pointers on catching ghosts?" asked Simon.

Luigi grinned broadly. "It's a deal."

They shook on it, and then the door opened, revealing Dr. Mario. Peach, Daisy and Mario trailed behind him.

"Hi, Luigi. How are you feeling?" asked Dr. Mario.

"Honestly, I've never felt better," said Luigi. "I've freed myself from the specter of Dracula and his ilk. And I'll fight him again if I have to. I'm not afraid of him anymore. That goes for Death, too."

"Your adventure really helped," offered Dr. Mario. "I see that your injuries have nicely healed up, and your vitals and blood work look fine. I'll prepare your discharge papers."

"Great. Thanks," said Luigi.

Dr. Mario exited, and the other three leaped into the room, hugging Luigi wildly.

"We're so proud of you!" trilled Daisy, kissing Luigi deeply on the mouth. "Way to show that Dracula creep what for!"

"I didn't do it alone, though," mused Luigi. "I had you. Thank you—for being there."

"When we learned of your plans, we knew we had to lend our support," said Mario. "You're a brave man, Luigi, the bravest I've ever known."

"Oh, Mario—I thought Dracula had you. But make no mistake, if he ever lays hands on you, or Peach, or Daisy, then all bets are off. I'll get my soul ripped out a thousand times to pry you from his clutches."

"We know," said Daisy. "We know." She kissed him again.

Richter and Simon stood back, watching in admiration.

Just then, however, Mario noticed them. "Hey," he said, walking over.

"Hey," said Simon.

"You know—we never got to thank you—for helping him," the man in red said softly.

Simon nodded. "Of course."

"Yeah. You two rock!" chirped Daisy.

The two Belmonts blushed.

Dr. Mario returned with Luigi's discharge paperwork, which he signed with a few quick flourishes.

"All right," said Dr. Mario. "You can get dressed, and then you're free to go."

"That's what I like to hear," grinned Luigi.

"After you've dressed, let's say we go out to dinner?" proposed Simon. "My treat."

"You read my mind," said Luigi.

Charlie walked in with Luigi's clothes, and he ducked into the changing room to put them on.

"Ah, Luigi," said Charlie. "He's a man who always bounces back, isn't he?"

"You're right," Mario mused softly. "He is. My baby bro suffered, that is true, but he ultimately grew stronger. The times tried his soul, and through the trial, he overcame."

 **The End**

 **Thank you for reading!**


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